Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-01

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That since bis wife died. Let's stop II
and get him away If possible"
"lf possible, before he does mis-
| chief; make haste. He is quite mad,
| 10 Judge from his looks"
| The first speaker reached him and
| took his arm with firm but kindly
grasp, speaking sootbingly in his ear.
"My dear Mr.. Felowes 1T is hardly
| the place, is il? You won't want to
make q scene here-you'll come away
| with me. Ny wife will bo 30 glad to
see you
Sebastian ceased talking suddenly,
and turned round on the speaker with
n dazed and vacant stare.
"Eh?" he said, with not touch OF
his old punctilious courtesy. 81 don't
know YOU or your wife--my wife is
dead. The added, with a sudden pitiful
drop in Lis voice; "sbe was q good
woman. ] should have liked you to
know her. She is dead, and the peo-
ple in London are all gone mad. They
rave about that-tbat piece of mere
tricious audacity," he raised his tone
scs;n rs he pointed with his long,
waving arm at the CLEOPATRA, "aDd
sheer at my 'Allegory of Life and
Toatb, which was meant to reSenerate
the world u
.'Yes, yes" cried The other, eager to
get him away with as little fuss. as pos
sible. "it is shameful, astonishing
tut | wouldn't stop here now, Mr..
Tellowes. 1t will only tire you, aud
there is TOO much noise for people to
hear what you say-suppOse you write
paper and explain your picture-it.s
too subtle, too deep-come away-iets
talk Of it. J."
He drew him gently through the
gaping crowd-the Strengthening,
wild, altered gray-beard, who was once
the serene, prosperous, handsome,
stately Sebastian Fellowes, unrecogni-
Fable almost now, and thing tqstlr
pathos and pity.
In few days there was this an
uouDcement in the Times:
"On the 9Th instant, very suddenly,
Sebsstian Fellowes, Il. A., OF -
square, Remington.
Neil Murray, happening to light on
Mr.. Fellowes's friend Kelly, asked him
some particulars of the death.
The good-natured little man looked
grave.
"1t was tragedy-an odd ending of
q commonplace, prosperous life. The
poor old boy WIS quite mad his brain
seemed suddenly and utterly to have
given way. / suppose the loss OF his
wife and not taking care of his health
had begun it, and the reception of that
unfortunate, incOnceiyable picture fin
ished him. He never could bear that
sort of thing well but while he was
all right he simply ignored criti-
cism or ridicule, aud pnt it
down to jealousy or want of per
ception. He had the firmest, finest
belief in himself. in the state
he was in-worked up already to
u queer pitch OF excitement-it was too
rough on him. The making joke OF
what was so solemn reality to him was
tie worst. lie was quite entirely be-
side himself when got him out of the
Academy. / took him to his house ;
wmned the servants, who seemed to
lave expected some such break-out,
snd sent for his old friend DR.. Har
ley. ! called in the evening, and the
servants said be had got very quiet
and had como TO lie down IN their
mistress's room. waited long while,
and, getting somehow a little uneasy, L
went up at last, and, as no one answered
when / knocked, | went in. He was
kneeling upon tho floor, with his body
thrown over little couch. On table
was manuscript, methodically pinned
together tie most utter farrago you
can imaeine-s treatise on art, of
which be was the only living worthy
represtn alive denunOi ition of paint
ing of the nude an exposition of his
views on religion, al jumbled up to-
eether and dedicated to his faithful and
adored wife. He was quite dead"
"Dead But what killed him ?"
"Of all men in the world the most
unlikely, should say, to do it-he had
committed suicide. He had talen the
morphia which was left in the bottle
that WAS used for Nrs. Fellowes. OF
course there was not shadow of doubt |
as TO his absolute insanity. After oil, it
is the very best thing that could have |
happened TO him. his day was over in
every sense. Oh, by the way, he has
left all his unsold pictures to his native |
town. Don't you think they will make
a wry face there over his bequest ?"~
HE has gone to find out the eternal
'if' !" said Murray thoughtfully-"s
man who had no If in his life. 1t is
q curious end TO a commonplace career.
So the 'Allegory of Life and Death
wants an Interpreter still !"